Sundaragada: A traffic inspector of Odisha Motor Vehicles Department (OMVD) posted at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Sundaragada was arrested by Odisha Vigilance Monday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a truck owner, officials said.
The accused, identified as Mukesh Kumar Mishra, was apprehended while allegedly “demanding and accepting” the bribe from the truck owner for allowing his two HYVA trucks to operate smoothly under his jurisdiction. The amount was allegedly collected as a monthly quota for June and July 2026, officials said.
According to Vigilance officials, Mishra had demanded Rs 20,000 from the truck owner to ensure the smooth operation of his transport business. Unable to meet the demand, the truck owner lodged a complaint with Odisha Vigilance.
Acting on the complaint, a Vigilance team laid a trap and caught Mishra while he was allegedly accepting the bribe. The entire tainted amount of Rs 20,000 was recovered from his possession and seized, officials said.
Following the trap, simultaneous searches are being conducted at three locations linked to Mishra to ascertain assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, the officials added.
In connection with the case, Rourkela Vigilance Police Station Case No. 06, dated Aug. 2, 2026, has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. Investigation is underway.